


Birds of a Feather

by SonicaSpeed123



Series: SatBK Mini Fics [2]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Violence, But dealt with in a healthy way, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Knives, M/M, Mild Blood, Minor Violence, Multiverse, Sonic and the Black Knight, Sparring, Sparring gone wrong, with communication and reassurance, work just a teeny tiny bit of projection in there so you can tell i wrote it ejfladkjfaldjf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29921685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicaSpeed123/pseuds/SonicaSpeed123
Summary: Sonic has been trapped in Camelot for three years, but he's started to make a place for himself that he can finally be comfortable in with his beloved Lancelot.Something has been bothering him, though: If all the people of this world look like the people from back home, where is Sonic's lookalike?
Relationships: Scourge the Hedgehog & Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog & Lancelot (Sonic and the Black Knight), Sonic the Hedgehog/Lancelot (Sonic and the Black Knight)
Series: SatBK Mini Fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2186283
Comments: 2
Kudos: 48





	Birds of a Feather

Sonic led Lancelot through the crowded marketplace by the hand, bobbing and weaving through the crowd as quickly as possible. Lance had no trouble keeping up, but the sheer number of people around them was nearly overwhelming. Thankfully, Sonic had experience with avoiding crowds, both from his time as a hero on Mobius, and from his short time as king in Camelot.

He pulled Lancelot out of the plaza and into a side street with much fewer people.

"Enjoying the festival?" He remarked sarcastically.

Lance chuckled. "You would think a village of this size would have less people in it, even during the summer solstice…"

"Sorry I dragged you into this mess. I thought finding a new axe would be easier than this."

Their loyal woodcutting axe had finally fallen apart today. It was important that they find a replacement immediately- they needed to burn wood to cook their food.

"Someone is bound to be selling one. The whole village must be out here."

They stuck to the edges of the plaza, darting between vendors, looking for anyone who happened to be selling an axe. Unfortunately, most people were selling either food or the traditional crafts and clothing of the holiday. Sonic had to admit he was interested in the culture, but Lancelot kept him focused on their objective.

Or, at least, he tried to. After a while, Sonic complained of hunger and stopped at a vendor for some dinner. Lance looked through the sea of people while his partner ate.

Just as Sonic was taking a large bite of his fresh bread, Lancelot grabbed onto his shoulder.

"Hark, Sonic!"

"Huh? What am I harking at?"

Lancelot gestured with his head across the street at another vendor.

The hedgehog before them looked exactly like Sonic, except that they were wrapped in a dark umber coat with a brilliant red hood. The hood was down, so their bright azure quills stuck out among the crowd. They chatted with a villager- likely trying to get their attention so they could make a sale. Their green eyes shone with confidence and a hint of mischief, and the would-be patron blushed.

"My God, he's your mirror image!"

Sonic grinned. He was wondering what his counterpart would be like in this world.

"Let's go say 'hi'!" Sonic stood, and Lancelot snatched his wrist before he could leave.

"Are you certain? He could be fae. A changeling…"

"Do you sense anything from them?"

"...No," the armored hedgehog admitted, "But there are so many people, it's difficult to tell…"

"C'mon. We'll bolt at the first sign of trouble, promise."

Lance reluctantly released Sonic's wrist and trailed after him across the street. Sonic adjusted his coat as he approached, then leaned onto the lookalike's stand.

"Hey there, handsome! Never thought I'd meet someone so good looking in a place like this!"

The vendor turned towards Sonic and jolted backwards, letting out a small yelp. Then, they looked bewildered, but fascinated.

"Gods above, you startled me!"

The doppelganger's voice was near identical to Sonic's, except for the accent. Sonic found it both off-putting and hilarious.

"What trickery is this? Are you an illusionist?" They didn't sound accusatory at all- rather, they seemed quite enthusiastic at the puzzling scenario. They lowered their voice. "...Fae, perhaps?"

"Nope- this look is all natural."

"What an odd manner of speaking! You must be from somewhere far, yes?"

"You could say that," Sonic laughed.

"Ah," Understanding dawned on the vendor's face. "You come from another world!" They clasped their hands together like fitting puzzle pieces. They grinned with excitement.

"Wha-?" Sonic stopped leaning on the stand, recoiling in shock. "-How'd you know that?"

"Our kind tend to get caught up in otherworldly adventures quite often, wouldn't you say?" The hedgehog rose from behind the stand, then bowed politely. "You may call me Robin."

"Nice to meet you, Rob'. Name's Sonic- Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Many of our kind wear that name. Fascinating…"

Sonic looked to Lance, waiting for him to introduce himself, but the former knight remained quiet behind his helmet.

"This is Lancelot. He's shy," he teased.

Lance's frown deepened as he crossed his arms.

_ "-Sir  _ Lancelot, to you."

"Enchanted, I'm sure." Robin winked despite the other's cold disposition.

Sonic took a closer look at the objects Robin had displayed. It was like a yard sale. He spotted lots of jewelry, weapons, and seemingly useless, but intricate decorative objects. They reminded him of the knick knacks Miss Vanilla had back home.

"In my travels, I come across many interesting artifacts."

Sonic hummed. "You wouldn't happen to have an axe, would ya?"

Robin frowned, "Unfortunately not. However, I know where you might find someone to make one for you!"

"We need it as soon as possible. We can't wait a fortnight." Lancelot said flatly.

"Ah," Robin smirked confidently, "That won't be a problem. My brother is the greatest blacksmith in all of Camelot! You'll have your axe before sundown, guaranteed!"

"Awesome!"

Lancelot huffed, clearly doubtful of the hedgehog's claim. Robin took out a large leather pack and started sweeping his items into it, not caring to avoid damaging them.

"Come this way," he led them down the street, away from the plaza.

Lancelot leaned closer to Sonic and whispered, "Don't let him lead us to the forest."

"I know, I know."

As they followed, Robin didn't stop babbling the whole time.

"It's quite lucky you both arrived during the festival! My brother is from out of town, but he always visits during the holidays. Another day, and he'd be heading home already! Though, I suppose my uncle could forge an axe for you without any trouble-"

Lancelot mostly tuned him out. Sonic, however, listened intently for once, trying to put the pieces of his counterpart's life together into one big picture.

They rounded the corner, and the forge came into view. It was just outside the smith's shop. It was a humble setup- a bit smaller and older than the one Sonic had seen in the castle town that Tails' lookalike used.

Robin held the door open for the other two hedgehogs and bowed politely again as they entered.

"Tobias!" He called, and they heard quick footsteps from upstairs.

"Yeah? What is it, Rob?" A familiar voice responded from the top of the stairs.

"These strapping young men are in need of an axe!"

"Oh!" Tobias came down the stairs. It was the same boy who had sharpened Caliburn!

"Hey! Long time no see, smithy!"

"Hello again, King Sonic. What are you doing out here?" He put on his thick leather apron and long gloves.

"'-King'?" Robin turned to Sonic, looking almost disgusted with him.

"I'm not king anymore, just call me 'Sonic'. Left all that behind. It wasn't my style. We live out by Misty Lake now!"

Robin blinked. He looked unsure of what to think.

"So you need an axe?" The smith- Tobias- asked.

"Just a simple woodcutting axe. Nothing fancy." Lance piped up, bored of the pleasantries.

"I can do that, no problem! Give me a few hours, and it'll be all yours!" He left the shop for the forge and got to work.

"You've met Tobias before?" Robin questioned. His tone was slower now, as if he were being cautious with his words.

It kind of hurt. Sonic had tried so hard to leave all that royal stuff behind, but even now, with his own counterpart, people still treated him differently.

He didn't let it show. "Yeah, his shop's in the castle town, right? I went there to get Cal sharpened once, when I first got to Camelot!" He patted the sleeping sword strapped to his side.

The hooded hedgehog cleared his throat. "Well, then you already know of his skills!"

Lancelot was getting bored. He was glad that the doppelganger hadn't tried anything, but the small talk was maddening.

"I'm going to get some air," he mumbled to Sonic. "If you need me, scream or something."

Sonic laughed. "Alright, we'll be here!"

The moment that Lance left, Robin turned serious.

"-You were king?"

"I didn't want to be. I was kind of forced into it. I left as soon as I could find the chance." He explained causally. "I'm surprised there's folks who didn't know- I thought kings were super important here."

"To the fools and nobles, yes. Peasants are rarely informed about anything in the kingdom."

"Hm. Well, Percival is king now. One of the knights? She's a natural leader. Way better than me. I've got a good feeling about her being in charge."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "You truly don't desire power at all?"

"Chaos, no. I just want to stay with Lance and go on adventures again!"

The other sighed in relief. "There tends to be a problem among our kind. The need for freedom seems intrinsic to who we are, but many express it in violent, controlling ways. Seeking power grants them the freedom to do as they please, at the cost of everyone else's."

Sonic leaned back, eyes wide. "Really? I honestly can't imagine an evil Sonic. Doesn't make sense." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But I guess you're the only other Sonic I've ever met."

"The majority are good. At least, at heart." Robin looked away for a moment. "You've never met any other reflections?"

"Well, I don't  _ think  _ so? There's this princess from another dimension who's fast like me, and sometimes we sync up. We've got a lot in common, but a lot of differences, too. She's got fire powers and stuff that I don't have."

"...Hm. She  _ could  _ be a Robin, but I suppose we can't know for certain. Especially since I haven't met her."

Seeing a version of himself so serious and quiet was really awkward. Sonic was starting to get fidgety. Robin quickly took notice.

"Say, if you've never met a reflection, you've never fought one, have you?"

Sonic's ears perked up.

"Chaos, it's been so long since I've been in a real fight, Rob."

"Would you like to change that?" Robin smirked again.

"Hell yes! Hold on one sec-" he bolts outside the store to where Lancelot was sitting, watching the young fox work.

"Is everything alright, my love?"

"Robin and I are gonna spar. You gonna come watch?"

"You'd best be going elsewhere for that sparring match!" Tobias yelled over his shoulder, pulling a hot chunk of metal from the flames. "Uncle would be furious if he came home to a wrecked shop, Robin!"

"Yes, yes, we're going elsewhere." Robin leaned on the door frame.

Lance frowned at Sonic.

"You and I spar all the time, Lance. It'll be fine. He's cool. And with you there, nothing will happen."

"...Fine. I will protect you, as is my sworn duty."

Sonic rolled his eyes and smiled, then turned to Robin. "Got a place in mind?"

"Indeed. Come along!"

\---

The meadow outside of town was a quick jog away for the speedy hedgehogs. Sonic breathed in the fresh, pleasant-smelling air. Camelot had its drawbacks, one of which being the lack of hygiene among the peasants. He supposed they didn't know any better, but it still bothered him to some extent. Luckily, Robin seemed to be on top of his self-care.

If he was anything like Sonic, it was probably due to his vanity.

Robin skidded to a stop suddenly, clutching the front of his robe to keep it closed.

"Here, perhaps?"

Sonic stopped and looked around. He saw the forest, which was a good distance away. He recognized the area- they weren't far from home. He looked to Lance for his approval.

The armored hedgehog nodded, still frowning.

"Works for me!" Sonic chimed. "No weapons," he added, taking off the belt keeping Caliburn attached to his waist.

"A brawl, eh? Very well." Robin reached into his cloak and pulled out a rather small bow, along with blades of varying sizes. He placed all his weapons by a small rock.

Sonic handed Caliburn over to Lancelot, who lifted his visor. His eyebrows were drawn together and he frowned in concern.

"Be careful." He whispered.

"I will," Sonic assuaged.

The hero turned on his heel and walked back to where Robin stood.

"Wanna ditch the robes, too?"

Robin frowned nervously, then immediately covered it with a smile. "I'm sure Lancelot would like a way to tell us apart at a glance, for when I end up betraying you." He said sarcastically. "For his sake, I'll keep mine, at least."

Sonic wasn't surprised that Robin had picked up on Lance's air of distrust- he had hardly been subtle. The former knight, however, nearly squacked at that, but couldn't find any words to respond with.

"Ah, relax." Robin called past Sonic. "I wouldn't trust a mirror image of my beloved, either." He grinned mischievously as Lancelot continued to struggle with a response.

"You're observant, huh?"

"One must be, in my business."

"Oh? And what business is that?"

As Robin opened his mouth to speak again, Sonic swung his fist. It was a dirty trick, sure, but he was pumped up and ready to get this fight going. He felt his hand hit, but the other hedgehog remained unshaken.

Robin had blocked with his hand, squeezing Sonic's fist tightly.

"Wouldn't  _ you _ like to know?"

Oh, he'd  _ missed _ the fighting banter.

"I would, actually. I'm sure it's  _ fascinating _ . Doubt you get all those fancy trinkets conventionally."

Robin's grin turned dark, and he twisted Sonic's hand down. While he processed the minor pain, Robin kicked low, throwing Sonic off his balance and sending him to the ground. He leaned over the hero, obscuring the sky.

"You're more observant than they give you credit for as well, aren't you?"

Sonic felt a strange twinge of nostalgia. It felt like fighting a real rival again, but also like fighting himself. He supposed he was.

He kicked up, aiming for Robin's chest, but missed as the other stepped back. With the free space, he curled up and spun into him, finally landing a good hit on him.

Robin didn't go down, but he staggered. Sonic took the opportunity, and delivered a series of punches to send him flying.

As the other recovered, Sonic noticed just how much fun he was having. He'd missed his heart pounding and limbs aching as blood pumped through them. He'd missed going all out.

He glanced at Lance, who seemed to be a bit calmer after Sonic had gained the upper hand. He winked at the former knight before speeding over to where Robin had landed.

He didn't want to kick Robin while he was down, but the cloaked hedgehog had clearly seen him coming and was rising again. He wound his leg back, and-

He felt something wrap around his other leg, and then the world turned upside down. Next thing he knew, his face was in the grass.

Robin clicked his tongue as Sonic pulled himself from the ground, dizzy.

"You're quite predictable, visitor."

Sonic laughed, "Normally I'd be offended. Did you  _ flip me?" _ He acted more disoriented than he truly was, hoping to catch the other off guard. He tipped slightly too far, and Robin reached out to catch him. Then, he brought his knee up into Robin's stomach, and he grunted in pain. Sonic followed up with a good shove to get him on the ground, leaning over him. This time, Sonic pinned the other down.

"Dirty trick. We truly are alike."

"You had enough yet, faker?"

Robin laughed. "You, using that old line on me! Haha, you bastard!"

Sonic was a bit confused by that. Robin and Lancelot had never met, so who would Robin have called a 'faker'? Maybe he'd met other Sonics and Shadows that had told him about how they'd met? But he'd sounded like Sonic had turned something back at him, like Robin had said the line before.

While Sonic was confused, the other pushed against his hold, turning their positions.

"To answer: No, I've not had enough."

Robin had his arms pinned, but Sonic's legs were free. He tucked them close to his chest underneath the other, then pushed his feet up. He shoved the lookalike away, then stood up and started running.

He hoped to disorient the other a little by making him lose track of where Sonic was, but Robin seemed to follow his position easily, even while recovering from the kick. So he came at him from behind, grabbing Robin's hood and pulling it over his head forcefully, dragging his face into the dirt.

"How's that for predictable?" He checked on Lancelot again, and he seemed to be smiling. Good, at least he wasn't panicking about nothing anymore.

Lance's face dropped, and before Sonic could react, Robin grabbed onto him from behind. An arm wrapped around his chest and pinned his own arm to his side, pulling him close to Robin's body. The other arm was mysteriously absent.

Until he felt something sharp against his back.

"-Sonic!" Lancelot dashed over, and then froze several feet from them.

He knew he was grinning like a maniac. His heart pounded even harder, and the adrenaline was nearly making him dizzy.

"Oh, calm down, Lancelot, we're just having some fun." Robin purred over Sonic's shoulder. Chaos, he was such a narcissist. That should  _ not  _ have made him so giddy.

"You broke the rules, the duel is over."

Robin just laughed. "'Rules.' Does it look like he's finished, yet?"

Lancelot didn't even glance at Sonic's face. "Put the knife down. Now."

"You know, Lancelot…" Robin pushed the knife so it was painful, but not yet breaking skin. He pressed impossibly closer to Sonic, and his breath hitched a moment. "All these rules and ideas like 'chivalry' and 'honor'... No one but you knights use them. Out here, in the  _ real  _ world? Thugs and thieves don't play with honor and chivalry. They don't care for rules. So one must be prepared to fight back, even if it means losing honor. Does that make sense?"

"This is a  _ duel,  _ not life-or-death. Release him." Lancelot warned, placing his hand on Arondight's hilt. "Or it will quickly become a matter of  _ your  _ life."

The knife pushed harder.

"Lance-" Sonic finally gasped out. "-Stop. He's right," he smirked, knowing Robin was grinning behind him. "I'm having fun. Let me deal with this."

Lancelot's mouth creased tight with confusion. He sighed and backed down, crossing his arms.

"Now, where were we? Ah, right." Robin pulled on the knife, finally cutting into skin. Sonic hissed at the pain. His free hand clutched at Robin’s wrist, stopping him. “Do you yield already?”

Sonic forced out a laugh. “Never.”

He wrenched the other’s arm up and away, twisting it uncomfortably. The blade cut him more as it left his skin, but he barely noticed the pain among the fire already pouring through his veins.

They paused for another moment, and Sonic held tight to Robin’s wrist. Robin held the other in place close to him.

Then, Sonic struggled to break away. The hooded hedgehog stayed still for a bit, then suddenly backed off of him. Sonic pulled his wrist back down, snatching the knife from Robin’s hand and turning it back on its owner.

He wasn’t even holding Robin in place, but he didn’t move away. He smiled, and his eyes glinted with excitement. Anticipation. A challenge. He didn’t say a word, but Sonic knew he was daring him to go further.

And Sonic never turned down a challenge.

He surged forward, moving the knife under the other’s robes, feeling the weapon make contact through the handle. He wasn’t normally one to use weapons, and even avoided using Caliburn unless he needed to, but the way he felt Robin’s stunned gasp shift the blade in his hand made him see the appeal. He pressed it against the other’s chest, letting it sit, a promise of pain if one of them made the wrong move.

He felt the evil grin creep onto his face. He hadn’t been this in control in so long…

Robin’s face dropped, and he seemed to freeze. An icy bolt of fear ran down Sonic’s back. Had he gone too far?

He pulled the blade away quickly, and the other’s robe fluttered open, revealing three large, old scars across his stomach. Sonic involuntarily gasped. Robin clutched at the front of it, forcing it closed again.

Robin looked terrified.

“Shit, are you okay?” Sonic dropped the knife.

The other blinked, confused, before something clicked. “Oh, right, you… You haven’t met any other Sonics. You wouldn’t know.”

“...What?”

His gaze flickered down to the fallen blade. “Never mind.” His accent completely disappeared, and he sounded exactly like Sonic.

Robin was on edge. Sonic recognized the tension in his body- he was about to bolt. Before he could, he reached out and grabbed onto his upper arms.

“-Hey, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to freak you out.”

He looked confused. Sonic knew why.

“Look, it’s none of my business what happened to give you those scars. You don’t need to tell me. You also don’t need to tell me why you fake the voice. I just wanna make sure you’re okay.”

“...I’m fine. Happened a long time ago.”

“Sure.” Sonic bent down to pick up the knife, then handed it back to Robin, handle facing the other hedgehog. “Let’s call it your win. Totally caught me off guard with this thing, and you would’ve had me if you hadn’t let go earlier.”

Robin was bewildered, but took the blade back and tucked it away inside his hood. He cleared his throat, and the accent returned. “Thank you, visitor. It was an enthralling battle, to be sure.”

“Right back at you,” he smiled. “We gotta do this again sometime!”

Lancelot approached them, eyeing Robin strangely. “Are you two quite finished? What happened?”

“Rob won.”

“What? You held the weapon to his chest, and you relinquish your victory?”

“Lance, you saw what he did earlier. He had me on the ropes. If that was a  _ real  _ fight, he would’ve won right then.”

“I suppose that is a fair judgement.”

Robin coughed, and the two turned their attention to him.

“Well, I’m famished! Could I offer you two a meal?” He collected his discarded weapons, and they all disappeared behind his cloak.

“It’d be rude to turn down an offer like that, wouldn’t it, Lance?”

The former knight sighed, but conceded. “Indeed. It seems we have no choice.”

Robin led the way back to the blacksmith’s shop.

\---

After their meal, Lancelot took his place back outside by the forge, making conversation with Tobias as he hammered away at the axe.

Sonic and Robin were left alone in the shop. Robin gestured upwards, and Sonic followed him upstairs.

The attic was very humble. There were three beds and a few large dressers and chests for storage. Robin took a seat on his own bed and sighed.

Sonic sat on the bed across from him, leaning back and crossing his legs. He waited for Robin to speak.

When he did, the accent was gone again. “I guess you’ve figured out that I’m not from around here by now.”

“Well, hey, neither am I.”

He smiled for a moment. Then, he unclasped his hood, letting it fall onto the bed. Sonic could now see how massive the ancient wounds were- they ran across his entire front, scraped across his chest, even onto his shoulder. They looked like claw marks to him.

He forced his gaze back up to make eye contact, not wanting to stare.

“Almost a decade ago, I was in my own world.” Robin started. “It wasn’t great. I made some bad choices, and ended up like this.” He gestured to his chest. “I kind of lost everything, so I ran away.”

Sonic leaned forward, bringing his legs up and resting his hands on his knees, listening.

“For a while, I just ran from world to world, trying to avoid my past. I met a lot of people like us. Not many liked me very much. Most of them had met other Sonics like us.”

“‘Us’?” Sonic cut in.

“With that hunger for power.”

Sonic was taken aback. “I don’t- Rob, I don’t ‘hunger for power’.”

“I saw it in your eyes. When you held the knife to my chest. You had control, and you liked it. You missed it. I remember that feeling, too.”

Sonic frowned. He didn’t like how this guy could see everything he tried to hide away. He waved his hand. “Anyways. What were you saying?”

Robin smiled, knowing he’d gotten it right. “Well, eventually, I ended up in Camelot. It was just going to be another stop on my never-ending interdimensional low-speed chase, but…”

Sonic noted that. Robin wasn’t just an outlaw, he was an interdimensional criminal. That was kinda cool, actually. He wondered what the hell he’d done to get in so much trouble.

“...Then I found Tobias.”

Sonic nodded. “‘Course. What’s a Sonic without his Tails?”

Robin looked downcast. “My brother- From my world- was named Milo. I-” He choked and rubbed at his eyes. “I failed him. I didn’t raise him well enough. Didn’t tell him I loved him enough. He grew up to be the worst version of myself. And he hated me.”

Sonic rose and sat next to Robin, wrapping his arms around him as the other sobbed.

“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how awful that is. You were just a kid, it’s not your fault you couldn’t parent him. And from the sound of it, you two had it rough enough already. Don’t blame yourself, Robin.”

“When- When I found Tobias, it was like the universe was giving me a second chance. I had to take it. I had to be better than the first time.”

“From my point of view, you’ve done great, Rob. Tobias is a good kid. And you’re really cool. You’ve changed since then. Even just knowing you for a day, I can tell you’re trying to be a good brother. A good person.”

Sonic held tight to him as he cried, letting out the years of built-up, secret pain. After several minutes, the tears finally faded.

“Thanks. That… That means a lot.”

“So, Toby doesn’t know?”

“Hey, you can’t call him ‘Toby’. Only  _ I  _ get to call him ‘Toby’.”

Sonic laughed. “Okay, sorry. Tobias doesn’t know, then?”

“Eh… He knows bits and pieces. He knows I don’t like to talk about my past. He never asks.”

Sonic nodded. He supposed Robin wouldn’t want to talk about Milo with Tobias. That’d be pretty awkward.

“So, the cops or whatever haven’t found you yet? How do you manage that?”

“Oh, no, they have. They just didn’t realize it was me. For some reason, it seems like this world didn’t have another Sonic. I just acted like I belonged here, and it worked. Had to get rid of my Warp Rings, though. Haven’t seen them- the rings  _ or  _ the Zone Cops- since.”

“Huh. Wonder what happened to this world’s Sonic.”

Robin shrugged. “Maybe he never existed. Maybe he died. Who knows.”

“Hm. Well, hey, now this world has to deal with two Sonics!”

“You’re stuck here too, huh? Not that I have many other options. I couldn’t leave Tobias.”

“The royal wizard brought me here to trick me into helping her with an evil scheme. She’s cool now, though. But she doesn’t know how to send me back.”

“Gods. How did you get along with everyone back home?”

“Loved them all, of course. I miss them, but I can’t let it slow me down, y’know?”

“If I find a way to travel between worlds, I’ll get it to you. Won’t have any use for it myself.” He laughed.

“Thanks, man. It’d be nice to introduce Lance to everyone.”

There was a short pause in the conversation, but it wasn’t tense. It was coated in understanding- sympathy for each other’s situations. Robin covered himself with his hood again, hiding the evidence of his history safely behind the worn fabric.

“Do you ever miss home?” Sonic asked. It was a stupid question, sure, but-

“Not really.”

“Oh.”

He smiled, “I’ve got a lot to focus on here. Never really think about it. When I do, I just remember how awful I was. How much better it is now.” He looked towards the stairs, pausing to hear the ringing of hot metal being pounded into place. “I think… I think this  _ is  _ home, now.”

“That’s great. That’s really great. I kinda feel like garbage for missing home so much. Lancelot tries so hard to make our house feel like home.”

“I’ll be honest, bud. I don’t know what you see in him.”

Sonic laughed, shaking with the force of it. “He’s the best, really! You just have to crack his shell a bit. You know Shadows, I’m sure. Underneath that dark, edgy surface, he cares. He cares so much.”

“Never met my own Shadow, actually.”

Sonic sat back, eyes wide, mouth agape. He couldn’t imagine his life without having met Shadow. Or without Lancelot by his side. “No wonder you don’t see the appeal. We went through a lot together. It kinda forced me to see the best parts of him.”

“I’ve never been one for romance.”

“Ah,” Sonic nodded, “I can respect that. I wasn’t, either, but Shadow kinda jump-started my heart. Then Lance swept me off my feet.”

Robin rolled his eyes, grinning. “That’s cheesy, even for a Sonic. Won’t it be awkward once you get back home?”

Sonic paused and frowned. After a moment, he replied. “ _ If  _ I ever get home… Yeah, maybe, but we’ll work it out. But Shadow and I never got together. I don’t know if he even had feelings for me.”

“Not very confident you’ll ever go home?”

“I’ve been here for three years now, Rob. As much as I try to look on the bright side… I dunno. I hate to admit it, but. This might be it.” He fidgeted with his hands a bit. “And sure, there’s stuff here that’s worth my while. Lance. Our family. And I can always just… make a place for myself, here. I just have to get myself to let go of going home so I can move on.”

“Family?” Robin tilted his head.

Sonic smiled and removed his left glove, revealing what he’d been fidgeting with. A silver band was wrapped around his ring finger. “I’m a Du Lac, actually. Or, I will be. Soon enough. Lance is pretty particular about the ceremony. It’s gotta be raining, for whatever reason.”

Robin blinked, stunned, but quickly responded with a quip. “Bridezilla, much?”

Sonic laughed again, his back starting to hurt from the repeated strain. Once he calmed down and the mild pain faded, he continued.

“-Anyways. Yeah, Lance’s mother. And his son. My soon-to-be stepson, I guess? Weird. But they’re great folks. I don’t mind them being my family at all.”

“I hope you find the same thing I have, here. That is, if you never get home.”

“Me too.”

Silence settled over them again, but this time, Sonic was struck with the odd mix of hope for the future and fear of it.

The clanging of metal had stopped. How long had it been over?

“Robin! Sonic!” Tobias called up the stairs. “I’ve finished the axe!”

“We’ll be right down!” Robin shouted. He smiled at Sonic as he stood. Then, he slipped back into his accent. “Thank you for speaking with me.”

“For sure. I needed this, too.”

They joined the other two outside. Lancelot had the axe wrapped in coarse fabric, and frowned slightly when he saw Robin and Sonic come down the stairs together.

“See? What did I tell you of my brother’s work? The sun hasn’t set yet!”

Lance nodded, then turned to Tobias. “Thank you for those tips. I’ll be sure to put them to use.”

“Oh, I’m happy to help! Take good care of Lilith!”

Sonic raised an eyebrow at that, but Lancelot didn’t acknowledge it. Then, Lance nodded politely at Robin before speaking to Sonic.

“We should leave before night falls.”

“Sounds good.”

Sonic turned to Robin to say goodbye.

“Promise we’ll meet again soon?”

“Definitely.” He held his hand out, and Robin took it. “Just don’t get into too much trouble between now and then, right?”

Robin chuckled. “No promises on that front.”

Sonic grinned wide. “See you soon, Robin.”

“Fare thee well.”

Sonic waved a goodbye to Tobias as he returned to Lancelot’s side.

\---

“Who’s Lilith?” Sonic asked as they traversed the field.

“The axe.”

Sonic frowned. Lance was upset, clearly.

“The axe? Tobias named it?”

“No, I did.”

“Oh. Why?”

Lancelot sighed. “I used to dabble in smithing. I would name all of my creations. Tobias let me name the axe.”

“Huh. That’s pretty cool, I didn’t know you made weapons! You and Tobias must have gotten along pretty well, then, yeah?”

“He’s a clever young man. Very talented.”

There was a tense pause.

“Are you alright? What’s wrong?”

They stopped walking. Lance flipped his visor up. He looked distressed.

“Do you… Do you have strong feelings for him?”

It clicked in Sonic’s head.

“No. No, not at all, Lance.” He stepped closer. “I love  _ you.” _

Lancelot flinched away from Sonic’s hands for a moment. “I saw the look in your eyes. The passion. Why… Why haven’t I seen that in  _ our  _ sparring?”

“Because I know I’m never in real danger with you. It was about the fight, Lance. That’s all, I swear.” He removed his glove, his silver ring shimmering red and orange in the sunset. “I’m  _ yours. _ No other man could ever compare to you.”

“...I love you. I’m terrified of losing you, Sonic.”

“You won’t lose me. That’s what this thing’s for, right?” He brought his left hand forward, the colors on the ring shifting and gleaming. “It’s a promise. That my heart belongs to you.”

Lancelot finally let Sonic’s hands settle on the sides of his face.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for ever doubting you, my love.” The tears dripped down, and Sonic carefully wiped them away.

“Hush.” He whispered. “I’ll tell you as many times as you need to hear it, Lance. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Sonic leaned forward and kissed him as reassurance. He poured his heart into the kiss, hoping Lance could feel his love, his dedication, his admiration through the warmth of his lips.

When they separated, the orange sky had begun to fade into twilight.

“Let’s head home, yeah?”

“Okay.” Lancelot smiled and shifted the axe to one arm so that he could hold Sonic’s hand as they walked.


End file.
